boatswain
noun
- supervisor of a ship's deck department
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈbəʊ.sən/ / /ˈbəʊt.sweɪn/ / /ˈboʊ.sən/
noun
Etymology: From Middle English botswain, botswein, bote-swayn, from late Old English bātsweġen, from bāt (“boat”) + sweġen (“swain”), the latter element a borrowing from Old Norse sveinn (“boy”); equivalent to boat + swain (“boy, servant”).
- A person aboard ship who is in charge of various maritime affairs.
- A person aboard ship who is in charge of various maritime affairs.
- A kind of gull, the jaeger.
- The tropicbird.